Mikhailah's Blog

A Gardener's Diary - More Observations
May 9, 2007 | 6:52 AM PST
Tags: bush beans , flowers , sunflowers , english lavender , cucumbers , shakespeare , sonnets , ants , scotch bonnet

Well, just about all of my bush beans are up now. There's always something very satisfying about growing a simple bush bean, of the few things guaranteed in life, bush beans are one of them. I wish I could say the same for growing flowers!

I'm a bit puzzled as to what to do with my flower seedlings. Not sure whether to put them in bigger cells or what. They are still indoors and not doing much of anything. Can't you tell I've never grown flowers before, ever!

Only one of the sunflowers I sowed has surfaced, and it's not looking that great. The seeds were bought (two packs) in the UK. This particular pack has a really low yeild. I may try the other pack and see if it fares any better. Or maybe sunflowers take forever to germinate in general. I'm not sure.

My english lavender is struggling a bit. Some of them have browned and are almost dead. I'm thinking it may have been the fertilizer burning them or something.

I had to pull up another sickly looking cuke. So now I'm down to four. Well at least they look healthy and are fruiting nicely.

I saw a hummingbird hopefully pollinating one of my Scarlett Emperor beans, yes, I'm still hopeful. Even though another hummingbird came and chased it off before it could do much. Apparently there's a problem with honeybees in other parts of the world too. I rarely ever see any here anymore.

One 'Golden Sunrise' and two 'Red Pear' tomato seedlings are now up. It will be quite a while before they get planted out, looking quite frail and a bit leggy right now.

None of my english peas have germinated yet. I know they are generally slower, I hope they make it! 

On my to do list is getting rid of an army of black ants that have taken up residence on one of my older sweet pepper plants, I tried blasting them off but they're pretty resilient. Lemon juice carefully applied might help. They're coming from next door's garden.

The chives in the herb bed got 'shaved' on sunday, I sent our youngest out, he did a pretty good job. They're around a couple inches tall now.

I was looking at some scotch bonnet pepper pictures online last night, I read that they are small and grow to 2-4cm, I was wondering why one of my sons asked 'why are your peppers so big?' . They are quite big compared to the size they're supposed to be. I'm not sure what's going on there?! I planted them right next to my sweet peppers, I'm not sure if that factors into their size though? All of them are still pale green, they're supposed to change to various shades of orange and red. Looking forward to that.

Mmm, this seems to fit in here somehow, my favourite of his sonnets.....

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
and trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
and look upon myself, and curse my fate,
wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
with what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
haply I think on thee, and then my state,
like to the lark at break of day arising from sullen earth,
sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
that then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Shakespeare- Sonnet #XXIX

A Gardener's Diary - Monday, Monday...
Apr 30, 2007 | 10:21 AM PST
Tags: lobelia , sunflowers , gladiolus , flowers , cauliflower , chives

I haven't been in the garden since early saturday, sometimes I like to have time away, that way I really notice changes that have happened. I'll be out there this evening, just before the sun sets to check on things. We may be having one of those cauli's with dinner tonight. Will be cutting back the unruly chives in the herb bed and adding that to some mashed potatoes, throw in some fried fish and we have dinner!

My flower seedlings are coming along nicely. the Lobelia seeds have all come up, they're so TINY! I'm not sure how I'm going to separate/space them. Sunflowers had to be started again, I had checked thru in the soil to see if any were germinating, only one seemed to be, kept that one and threw out the rest as the cardboard (toilet rolls cut in half!) had been placed too close together and had begun to go mouldy. So I should see at least one pushing thru in the next couple days.

I potted up my gladiolus' (april 28th) in a couple of large pots, they're on the patio for the moment.

I NEED MORE GARDEN SPACE! Now that I'm getting into flower growing. Hopefully I should get two 3x15 ft beds in the front for all my flowers. Will have to pave over the rest for parking space.